This paper presents new theoretical elements for numerical simulation of two- and three-dimensional flows, based on the concept of streamlines and domain decomposition. The so-called "stream-tube method", considered previously particularly for flows inolving open streamlines, is extended to general streamline comfigurations. It is shown how local transformation functions may be defined in order to simulate flows of complex fluids, notably those requiring evaluation of particle time history. The specific features (for example : mass conservation, simplicity in handling time-dependent constitutive equations) of the stream-tube methods previously investigated numerically are still preserved in the new formulation. An example of calculations is given in the case of the two-dimensional flow of a Newtonian fluid between two eccentric cylinders where results are found to be consistent with literature data.
